Residents might soon see some drastic changes to the Seagrove Parking Lot on Coast Boulevard that’s frequented by patrons of Poseidon and Jake’s Del Mar, after the Del Mar City Council on Oct. 8 approved an ordinance leasing adjacent property in return for enforcement revenue.

Plans for the lot — which is currently being used as a common pay-to-park site that dispenses tickets and takes money at an exit booth — are to include a self-service machine that assigns parking space. If approved, that measure will not only result in more cost efficiency for the developer and Solana Beach, but it might also keep residents from circling the lot in search of a parking space. The price for parking will be up to the owner, and the measure still awaits a second reading by the council before it would go into effect after 30 days.

The leased .31-acre parcel consists of a strip of land along Coast Boulevard, containing a toll gate, all driveway areas and some parking spaces. Currently, the south end of the lot is closed to avoid possible backup into the street.

Next Ventures, LLC, bought the property last month from Del Mar Beach Property LLC. The city was already in negations before the deal closed to lease a small adjacent public right of way in return for enforcement services. If all goes as planed by the developer, however, Del Mar’s task of enforcement will be minimal because handheld devices would be able to detect which spaces are open and which are full. The city will bring in $70,000 in revenue the first year and 50 percent of the owner’s revenues thereafter. Assistant city manager Mark Delin said a busy lot such as Seagrove might bring in as much as $500,000.

To read a staff report on the issue, visit http://www.delmar.ca.us/Government/City%20Council%20Meetings%202012/cc20120910_item07.pdf